D 570 
.85 

.N4 P5 
1918 
Copy 1 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



020 934 427 



D 570 
.85 
.N4 fl5 

1918 STATE OF NEW YORK^o-w/o./ , 

Copy 1 r 1 "^ ' — ■ - 

The An.i i tant General's Office, 

Albany, September 1, 1918. 

GovEENoK Chaelks S. Wuitmam, Execidive (jUarnber, Albany, 
N. Y.: 

SiE. — 1 have the honor to sulmiit the followiiig rejjort of the 
Adjutant General's Department : 

When i took ofiice, Spi)teuil)er 1, 1917, in addition to the usual 
business of the Adjutant General's othce, it was also concerned 
with three other activities resultant upon the entrance on April 6th 
of the United States into the great war. First, recruiting to war 
strength the National Guard of this State. Second, steps inci- 
ileut to its being taken over by the Federal go\ernmeut under 
the National Defense Act, which took eilect August 5, 1917, 
when they were also b}' Federal act discharged from the State 
service. When we severed diplomatic relations with Gennany, 
the strength of the New York National Guard was about 22,(J00. 
Thanks to active recruiting campaigns conducted not only by this 
ofiice, but also by patriotic private organizations, the New York 
National Guard numbered 39,()20 on August 5th, when it passed 
into the Federal service. The labor of my predecessor. Adjutant 
General Stotesbury, in comiection with this work, very justly 
received high praise. 

Another war activity of this department at that time was its 
selection and installation of local exemption boards to carry into 
effect the selective service regulations throughout this State, which 
duty was undertaken by my predeces.sor under your orders, and 
concluded by me. 

Previous to oui- entering the war, viz., in February, 1917, you 
decided that a military census shoukl be taken of all individuals 
not ween tlie ages of sixteen and fifty-two, to record the man and 
woman power of this State for use during the great war. Your 
plan was successfully carried through by the Adjutant General's 
Department, thanks to patriotic volunteer assistance. It was a 
pioneer in a new field of practical preparedness, and has since 
then been followed l)y the Federal government, by many other 
States, and has been frequently employed by the Federal ami 
State governments, the British Recraiting Mission, etc., etc. 
The Military Census Bureau of my ofiice has proved so useful 
that it became necessary to open a branch ofiice in New York city, 
now consulted by an average of 800 ai>])licants per day. 

On assuming office, September 1st last, I established a policy of 
seeking the advice and co-operation of chambers of commerce, 
boards of trade, etc., upon the numenms administrative problems 
which are constantly confronting this dej^artment. We have 
tried to substitute good business for gold braid. That advice and 
co-operation has been most generously accorded and has proved 
vastly useful and is entirely nonpartisan in character. Of 
especial value may be cited the assistance of the Buffalo and the 
Rochester Chambers of Commerce in recruiting locally for the 
New York Guard; of the New York Chamber of Commerce 
regarding Camp Whitman; of the New York Merchants Associa- 
tion in recommending readjustments in my Finance Division: 
of tlie Binghamton Chamber of Commerce in aiding the volunteer 
mobilization of the Fourth Regiment of the New York Guard; 
of the Albany Chamber of Commerce in twice entertaining dele- 
gates from commercial organizations called into council by 
myself; of the New York Citizens Preparedness Association in 
advising concerning the State Arsenal; and of numerous other 
icroups of business men in recommending improvements in local 
armory conditions. So varied have been these benefits, that Gen- 
eral Order No. 32 was published giving expression to our hearty 
appreciation, and ordering all officers of the Guard to avail them- 
selves of such counsel and co-operation whenever possible. 



Siuee assuming otliee Septt'iiiljer 1st last, my woi'k has 
developed along live priueipal jiues: Adjutant General, Conduct 
of Federal Draft, liecruiting A'ew York Guard, Comnniudiug 
General, Guarding Canals, Aqueduct, etc. 

First, the usual duties of the Adjutant General's office have 
gone steadily forward as directed by kState laws, unaffected by the 
unusual activities due to the war. On September 1st there were 
employed by this department not only the ]}ersouuel of the 
budget roll, but also a very large temporary force necessitated by 
new war duties. I have so readjusted our different departments, 
reducing them iu number and simjjlifying their ])rocedure, as to 
reduce the payroll of the temporary ' employees from a total of 
over $11,000 per month to about $2,000 per mouth. I have 
aj^poiuted to salaried positions no individiials selected by myself 
from the outside, but in every ease promoted from the tem]iorary 
list to the budget list individuals whose services recommended 
them for that promotion.- 

Second, under your orders. The Adjutant General has con- 
ducted the operation of the Selective Service Regixlations for the 
State of New York, and under this oyjeration there has gone 
forward to date from this State to the Federal training 
cainjis 242,036 men, in addition to the 122,000 who have vohm- 
teered, making a total of 364,036. Under the operation of the 
Federal Draft Law just enacted by Congress, calculations based 
on the operation of the former law indicate that during the next 
ten months New A'ork State will send about 446,000 more men 
to the colors, making a grand total of over 810,000 New Yorkers 
joining the Federal colors since we entered the war. In this 
connection, too cordial appreciation cannot be expressed for the 
admirable service performed throughout the State not only by 
the local exemption boards and the district boards, but also by 
the legal advisory boards and the medical advisory boards. Per- 
haps the most inspiring phase of this entire business has been 
the superb patriotism' evinced by the men of the State in respond- 
ing without disorder to the nation's call for them to leave their 
homes and take their places in the I'anks of the nation's anny. 
The task of conducting the draft for this State has grown so 
remarkably that it early became necessary to o])en a branch of 
the Adjutant General's ofKce in New York city, to supervise, 
under the Albany office, the work of 189 local exem])tion boards 
located in that city, wliile 165 local exemption boards located 
throughout the rest of the State have been sn]>ervised in all 
respects by the Albany office. The Provost Marshal Gencn-al has 
spoken in the highest terms of the condxict of the draft in Xew 
York State, and assures us that nowhere has lietter work been 
done for the Federal government ihiui tliat carried on under ^-our 
orders. 

Third, the Constitution of the State of New York, Article I, 
section 3, requires that there slndl be "maintained at all times a 
force of not less that ten thousand enlisted men, fully unifonned, 
armed, equipped, disciplined and ready for active service." 
Because the National Defense Act took over the National Guard 
of this State, and discharged them from the State service on 
August 5th, yoir were confronted with the necessity of providing 
the 10,000 men required by the Constitution. Under your 
instructions this office has completely recruited, organized, 
equipped and armed a new State force Cidled the New York 
Guard, which to-day totals over 21,000 officers and men. Eight 
thousand of these recniits were drawn from amits of the Home 
Defense Reserve, which is the local auxiliary police resei-ve 
organized throughout the State outside the city of New York, 
and intended only for Tise in their home communities in case of 
emergency. These units were originally equipped by those home 
communities, but within the last two months this office was able to 
supply those lacking arms, who did not join the New York Guard, 
with rifles for drilling purposes. 

Over 90 per cent of tlie officers nre drawn from the old National 
Gunrd, which is generiilly^ luhOwteJPio be Ibo finest ti':iining school 

'•u, 21 1919 



\ 

i'(ji- officers in this couulry ul'ler West Poiut. Tiie oilicers were 
carefully selected by this ulliee. All four of the brigadier gen- 
erals entered the Aatioual Guard as privates, and owed their 
ad\;iucemeiit to years of faithful service to the State. The regi- 
mental comniauding officers were selected by this office in eveiy 
case but one from the regiment whose reorganization was to be 
entrusted to them. All other line officers were conamissioned 
iifter selection by the regimental commanding officer with the 
approval of the iirigadier General. No political consideration 
had any part in the selection of any of these officers. It is largely 
due to the efficiency of the officers so selected that my plan for 
recruiting the ISiew York Guard was carried through so rapidly 
and successfully. 

i\'ot only has the iS'ew York Guard conscientiously performed 
all the military duties previously discharged by the I^ew York 
iS'ational Guard, but also numerous extra-military duties necessi- 
tated by the national crisis. The guard has materially furthered 
the sale of Libei'ty Loan bonds not only by its schedule of parades 
during the bond sale campaigns, but also by its personal efforts 
lias actually sold $1^5,795,580 of bonds. 

A trained firc-hghting squad has been placed in e\ery company 
of evei-y regiment or separate battalion or squadron in the State, 
and, thanks to their skilled efforts, propeiiy of such value has 
l)cen sa\cd from firo as to elicit com.plinientaiy telegrams from 
the A'afioual Board of Fire Underwriters. In many other ways 
the J^ew \'ork Guard has so usefully evidenced its desire to pre- 
-serve life and property, that not only did it on the 8th day of 
March, 1918, receive a complimentary resolution from the con- 
ference of uuiyors of our State, but also the chambers of com- 
merce of the State passed a resolution heartily approving the 
guard at their meeting in Albany, June 24th. * The guard was 
officially praised in a letter fronr the Federal commanding officer 
of the Department of the East. 

Perhajis the most useful work whicli has been performed by 
the Xew York Guard is in the ])r(>paration of men for the 
National Army. From September 1st to date there has gone 
from it into the Federal service 84 officers and 5,546 men, almost 
all of the latter being warranted as noncommissioned officers upon 
their enlistment in the Federal service. The War Department 
has expressed its satisfaction at this large contribution of non- 
connuissioned officers, so necessary in a new army like oiu's. Our 
ambition is to continue to be the nation's greatest training school 
for noncommissioned officers for the Fecleral service. Due to 
orders sent out from this office, New York Guard officers are 
everywhere lending their assistance in drilling men of draft age 
so that when they reach the Federal camps they shall be equipped 
with nidimentaiTt' militai";^' training. 

Confronted as we were with the necessity of creating a new 
militaiy force in this State, which could act swiftly in case of 
dimger, it became necessary to recast the old regimental district 
lines outside the city of New York. To this end I consulted the 
Railway War Board, and recast those regimental lines so as to 
facilitate the mobilization of each regiment by and along certain 
railroad.*. This geographical readjustment of the regiments has 
several times been tested and has proved to be practical and busi- 
nesslike. Only thirty-eight counties used to contain units of the 
National Guard. In order the more fairly to distribute the 
New York Guard, new units were placed in other cities and tcnvns, 
so that now all of our sixty-two counties but six have units of 
the guard, and of those six, four (Genesee, Sullivan, Putnam and 
Essex) have units of the Home Defense Reserve. 

There has been organized throughout Long Island eight com- 
panies all under the command of an officer wliose two years' train- 
ing in the Philippine Islands especially qualified him for the 
handling of widely separated units. Their knowledge of local 
conditions along the Long Island shoi'e ensures this portion of 
the Atlantic coast being as intelligently guarded ,ns any portion 
of the nation's ocean front. 



Criticism of tlie Federal conduct of the war is forbidden by 
our General Orders Nc. U. 

An opportunity to obtain a fState conuuission has been opened 
to women owning and driving motor cars, who are being taken 
into the ambulance section of the Home Defense Reserve. 

Fourth, by your orders, the duties of the Commanding General, 
IS^ew York Guard, have been added to those of The Adjutant 
General, and the headquarters of the Hew York Guard moved 
from New York city to The Adjutant General's office in Albany. 
As commanding general of the guard, I have obtained the services 
of a complete staif of oiKcers, none of whom are under ])ay. They 
have been selected from the leading business men of the State, 
and too much praise cannot be given to the results they have 
been able to secure for the guard, not only in the matter of equip- 
ment, but also in the winning of public confidence, so necessary 
at this time for a new military organization. For the important 
post of Quai-termaster-General, there was selected the president 
of a large merchant corj^oration, and the purchases for the ISTew 
York Guard have not only been of the best quality, Ijut also at 
very i-easonable prices. This combining of the two offices of the 
commanding general and The Adjutant General under one roof 
has greatly facilitated the conduct of the military affairs of the 
State, rendering it more rapid and economical. 

The fifth and last Ijranch of service performed by this ofiBce 
is that of guarding, with volunteers drawn from the New York 
Guard, 600 miles of State canals, 95 miles of aqueduct, important 
railway bridges at Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie and Albany, and 
sundry munition plants employed upon govermnent contracts. 
This duty is performed Ijy two provisional regiments, one, gen- 
erally speaking, operating north and west of Albany, and the 
other soutli of Albany. Too much credit cannot be given to 
tliese volunteers from the New York Gaard, who, during the past 
rigorous winter, so loyally and skilfully performed this important 
duty as to gain for the New York Guard the amazing record of 
preventing a single dollar's loss to the property in their charge. 
This force of 2,100 men replaced about 4,000 Federal troops 
released for service abroad. These two regiments together form 
a provisional brigade, functioning under the command of The 
Adjutant General. The duty of gaiarding the canals, aqueduct, 
etc., was undertaken at the request of the Federal authorities and 
meets with their approval. Wlien the Federal government, a 
few months ago, took over the operation of the State canals, the 
War Department desired the New York Guard to continue that 

Rifle practice demands particular attention at this time. Indi- 
vidual instruction, instead of high scores, has been the motto of 
our Ordnance Department, and excellent results have vindicated 
its theory. Special attention has also been paid to instruction 
while making the inspection of the various commands. Criticism 
from inspecting officers is necessary, but we have especially tried 
this year to make that criticism both constructive and instnictive. 

On the IGth day of April, by your orders, following passage by 
the Legislature of a new law, The Adjutant General became the 
chairman of the Militaiy Training Commission, and certain 
modifications in the Militaiy Training Commission Law were 
put into effect. During the past year about 40,000 youths from 
sixteen to nineteen years have received military training under 
the operation of this law. If we add that number to the total of 
21,000 men in the New York Guard, and the 10,000 in the Home 
Defense Reserve, scattered lliroughout the upper part of the State, 
there has been reached a total of 71,000 men, to whom, since 
September 1st last, this State has given militaiy training. Plans 
are under way at least to double that number during the coming 
year. This total greatly exceeds that reached in any other State. 
in some of which no military training has been given. 

Respectfully submitted, 

CHARLES H. SHERRILL, 

The Adjutant Oeneral. 



ST ATE O F NEW YORKfS^f^h 
The Adjutant General's Office, 

Albaxy, September 1, 1918. 
-Cnjv*KR«uii CiiAKLKs S. WmiMAK, Executive Chamber, ALbawii, 

_ ^- V-- 

SiK. — 1 have the honor to submit the foUowing report of the 
Adjutant General's Department: 

When I took office, September 1, 1917, iu addition to the usual 
business of the Adjutant General's office, it was also concerned 
with three other activities resultant upon the entrance on April 6th 
of the United States into the great war. Eirst, recruiting to war 
strength the A'atioual Guard of this State. Second, steps inci- 
dent to its being taken over by the Eederal government under 
the National Defense Act, which took effect August 5, 1917, 
when they were also by Eederal act discharged from the State 
service. When we severed diplomatic relations with Gennany, 
the strength of the Xew York National Guard was about 22,000. 
Thanks to active recruiting campaigns conducted not only by this 
office, but also hy patriotic private organizations, the New York 
N'ational Guard numbered 39,020 on August 5th, when it passed 
iuto the Eederal service. The labor of my predecessor, Adjutant 
General Stotesbury, in connection with this work, very justly 
received high praise. 

Another war activity of this department at that time was its 
selection and installation of local exemption boards to carry into 
effect the selective service regulations throughout this State, which 
duty was undertaken by my predecessor under your orders, and 
concluded by me. 

Previous to our entering the war, viz., in Eebruary, 1917, you 
decided that a military census should be taken of all individuals 
b(>tvveen the age^ of sixteen and fifty-t^vo, to record the man -ami 
woman power of this State for use during the great war. Your 
plan was successfully carried through by the Adjutant General's 
Department, thanks to patriotic volunteer assistance. It was a 
pioneer in a new field of practical preparedness, and has since 
then been followed by the Eederal government, by many other 
States, and has been frequently employed by the Eederal and 
State governments, the British Reci-uiting Mission,, etc., etc. 
The Military Census Bureau of my office has proved so useful 
that it became necessary to open a branch office in New York city, 
now consulted by an average of 800 aj^plicants per day. 

On assuming office, September 1st last, I established a policy of 
seeking the advice and co-operation of chambers of connnerce, 
boards of trade, etc., iipon the numerous administrative problems 
which are constantly confronting this department. We have 
tried to substitute good business for gold braid. That advice and 
co-operation has been most generously accorded and has proved 
\nrstiy useful and is entirely nonpai-tisan in character. Of 
especial value may be cited the assistance of the Buffalo and the 
Rochester Chambers of Commerce in recniiting locally for the 
New York Guard; of the New York Chamber of Commerce 
regarding Camp Whitman ; of the New York Merchants Associa- 
tion in recommending readjustments in my Finance Division: 
of the Binghamton Chamber of Con\meree in aiding the volimteer 
mobilization of the Eourth Begiment of the New York Guard: 
of the Albany Chamber of Commerce in twice entertaining dele- 
gates from commercial organizations called into council by 
mysejf ; of the New York Citizens Preparedness Association in 
advising concerning the State Arsenal; and of numerous other 
groups of business men in recommending improvements in local 
armory conditions. So varied have been these benefits, that Gen- 
eral Order No. 32 was published giving expression to our hearty 
appreciation, and ordering all officers of the Guard to avail them- 
selves of such counsel and co-operation whenever possible. 



Hiuee assuming office (September 1st lust, my work has 
developed aloug live priucipal Hues: Adjutant General, Coudnct 
of Federal Draft, Ivecniitiiig Xew York Guard, ( 'ommandini;- 
General, Guarding Canals, Aqueduct, etc. 

First, the usual duties of the Adjutant GeneraFs office have 
gone steadily fonvard as directed by State laws, unaffected by the 
unusual activities due to the war. On September ist there were 
employed by this department not only the personnel of the 
budget roll, but also a veiy large temporary force necessitated by 
new war diities. I have so readjusted our diffei-ent departments, 
rediicing them in number and simplifying their ])roced\Tre, as to 
reduce the payroll of the temporary em])loyees from a total of 
over $11,000 per month to about $2,000 per month. I have 
appointed to salaried positions no individuals selected by myself 
from the outside, Imt in every case jiromoted from the temporary 
list to the budget list individuals whose services recommended 
them for that promotion. 

Second, under your orders, The Adjutant General has con- 
ducted the operation of the Selective Service Regulations for the 
State of New York, and under this oiieration there has gone 
forward to date from this State to the Federal training 
camjis 242,030 men, in addition to the 122,000 who have volun- 
teered, making a total of 364,036. Under the operation of the 
Federal Draft Law just enacted by Congress, calculations based 
on the operation of the former law indicate that during the next 
ten months New York State will send about 446,000 more men 
to the colors, making a grand total of over 810,000 New Yorkers 
joining the Federal colors since we entered the war. In this 
connection, too cordial appreciation cannot be expressed for the 
admirable service ])erformed throughout the State not only by 
the local exemption lioards and the district boards, l)a( also by 
the legal advisoi-y boards and the medical advisory boards. Per- 
haps the most inspiring phase of this entire Imsiness has been 
the superb patriotism evinced by the men of the State in respond- 
ing without disorder to the nation's call for them to leave their 
homes and take their places in the ranks of the nation's anny. 
The task of conducting the draft for this State has grown so 
remarkably that it early liecame necessary to o])en a branch of 
the Adjutant General's office in Xew York city, to sujiervise, 
under the Albany office, the work of ISO local exem])tion boards 
located in that city, while 165 local coemption boards located 
throughout the rest of the State have been supervised in all 
respects by the Albany office. The Provost Marshal General has 
spoken in the highest terms of the conduct of the draft in N^ew 
York State, and assures us that nowhere has better work been 
done for the Federal government than that carried on under your 
orders. 

Third, the Constitution of the State of New York, Article I, 
section 3, requires that there shall be " maintained at all times a 
force of not less that ten thousand enlisted men, fully uniformed, 
anned, equipped, disciplined and ready for active service." 
Because the National Defense Act took over the National Guard 
of this State, and discharged them from the State service on 
Aug-ust 5th, you wore confronted with the necessity of providing 
the 10,000 men required by the Constitution. Under your 
instructions this office has completely recruited, organized, 
equipped and armed a new State force called the New York 
Guard, which to-day totals over 21,000 officers and men. Eight 
thousand of these recruits were drawn from units of the Home 
Defense Reserve, which is the local auxiliaiw police reserve 
organized throughout the State outside the city of New York, 
and intended only for use in their home commvmities in case of 
emergency. These units were originally equipped by those home 
communities, but within the last two months this office was able to 
supply those lacking arms, who did not join the New Yoi'k Guard, 
with rifles for drilling purposes. 

Over 90 ])er cent of the officers are drawn from the old National 
Guard, which is generally admitlod lo be Ibe Hnest training school 



a\<> j>. 



■>-Wi^^ 



3 



s^or officers in this cuuuliy after Wost i'oiut. The officers were 
carefully selected by this office. All four of the brigadier geu- 
vends entered the A'utioiial Guard as privates, and owed their 
advaucemeut to years of faithful service to the State. The regi- 
mental commanding officers were selected by this office in every 
case but one from the regiment whose reorganization was to be 
entrusted to them. All other line officers were commissioned 
;il'ter selection by the regimental coimnanding officer with the 
approval of the -Brigadier Genei-al. No political consideration 
had any jjart in the selection of any of these officers. It is largely 
due to the efficiency of the officers so selected that my plan for 
recruiting the New I'ork Guard was carried through so rapidly 
and successfully. 

Xot only has the A'ew York Guard conscientiously pei"foniied 
all the military duties previously discharged by the New York 
National Guard, but also numerous extra-military duties necessi- 
tated by the national crisis. The guard has materially furthered 
the sale of ]-,iberty Loan bonds not only by its schedule of parades 
during the bond sale campaigns, but also by its ]jersoual efforts 
has actually sold $25,795,580 of bonds. 

A trained hre-hghting squad has been placed in ever_)- company 
of every regiment or separate battalion or squadi'ou in the State, 
and, thanks to their skilled efforts, property of such value has 
been saved from tire as to elicit complimentaiy telegrams from 
the National Board of Fire Underwriters. In many other ways 
the New York Guard has so usefully evidenced its desire to pre- 
serve life and property, that not only did it on the 8th day of 
March, 1918, receive a complimentary resolution from the con- 
fercuice of mayors of our State, but also the chanibers of com- 
merce of the State passed a resolution heartily approving the 
guard at their meeting in Albany, June 24:th. The guard was 
officially praised in a letter from the Federal commanding officer 
of the I)ei)artm('nt of the East. 

l-'erhai:)s the most useful work which has lieeii ijerformed b.\- 
the New York Giuii-d is in the prepti ration of men for the 
National Army. From September 1st to date there has gone 
from it into the Federal service 84 officers and 5,54fi men, almost 
all of the latter being warranted as nonconunissioned othcers upon 
ilieir enlistment in the Federal sen'ice. The War Department 
has expressed its satisfaction at this large contribution of non- 
commissioned officers, so necessary in a new army like ours. Our 
aml)itiou is to contiuTie to be the nation's greatest training school 
for noncommissioned officers for the Federal service. Due to 
orders sent out from this office. New York Guard officers are 
everywhere lending their assistance in drilling men of draft age 
so that when they reach the Federal cam])s they shall be equi|)f)e(l 
with nidimentary militaiy training. 

Confronted as we were with the necessity of creating a new 
military force in this State, which could act swiftly in case of 
danger, it became necessary to recast the old regimental district 
lines outside the city of New York. To this end T consulted the 
Railway War Board, and recast those regimental lines so as to 
facilitate the mobilization of each regiment by and along certain 
railroads. This geographical readjustment of the regiments has 
several times been tested and has proved to be practical and busi- 
nesslike. Only thirty-eight counties used to contain units of the 
National Guard. In order the more fairly to distribute the 
New York Guard, new units were placed in other cities and towns, 
so that now all of our sixty-two counties but six have units of 
the guard, and of those six, four (Genesee, Sullivan, Putnam and 
Essex) have units of the Ilome Defense Keserve. 

There has been organized throughout Long Island eight com- 
panies all under the conunand of an officer whose two years' train- 
ing in the Philippine Islands especially qualified him for the 
handling of widely separated units. Their knowledge of local 
conditions along the Long Island shore ensures this portion of 
the Atlantic coast being as intelligently gtiarded as any portion 
of the nation's ocean front. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS^ 

* 020 934 427 

Criticism of liie Pederal conduct of the war is forbidden by 
our Geueral Orders No. 14. 

An opportunity to obtain a iState conuuissiou has been opened 
to women owning and driving motor ears, who are being taken 
into the ambulance section of the Home Defense Reserve. 

Fourth, by your orders, the duties of the Commanding General, 
l^ew York Guard, have been added to those of The Adjutant 
General, and the headquarters of the New York Guard moved 
from Kew York city to The Adjutant General's oiEce in Albany. 
As commanding genei-al of the guard, I have obtained the services 
of a complete staff of officers, none of whom are under pay. They 
have been selected from the leading business men of the State, 
and too much praise carmot be given to the results they have 
been able to secure for the guard, not only in the matter of equip- 
ment, but also in the winning of public confidence, so necessary 
at this time fur a new military organization. For the important 
post of Quartermaster-General, there was selected the ])resident 
of a large merchant corporation, and the purchases for the New 
Y'ork Guard have not only been of the best quality, but also at 
very reasonable prices. This combining of the two offices of the 
commanding general and The Adjutant General under one roof 
has greatly facilitated the conduct of the military nffairs of the 
State, rendering it more rapid and economical. 

The fifth and last branch of service perf(jrm('d by this office 
is that of guarding, with volunteers drawn from the New York 
Guard, 600 miles of State canals, 95 miles of aqueduct, important 
railway bridges at Niagara Falls, Poughkeepsie and Albany, and 
sundry munition plants employed upon government contracts. 
This duty is performed by two provisional regiments, one, gen- 
erally speaking, operating north and west of Albany, and the 
other south of Albany. Too much credit cannot be given to 
these volunteers from the New York Guard, who, during the past 
rigorous winter, so loyally and skilfully performed this impoi-tant 
duty as to gain for the New Y''ork Guard the amazing record of 
preventing a single dollar's loss to the property in their charge. 
This force of 2,100 men replaced about 4,000 Federal troops 
released for sei*vice abroad. These two regiments together fonu 
a provisional Ijrigade, functioning under the command of The 
Adjutant General. The duty of guarding the canals, aqueduct, 
etc., was undertaken at the request of the Federal authorities and 
meets with their approval. Wlien the Federal government, a 
few months ago, took over the operation of the State canals, the 
War Department desired the New Y^oi-k Guard to continue that 
duty. 

Rifle practice demands particular attention at this time. Indi- 
vidual instruction, instead of high scores, has been the motto of 
our Ordnance Department, and excellent results have vindicated 
its theory. Special attention has also been paid to instraction 
while making the inspection of the various commands. Criticism 
from inspecting officers is necessary, but we have especially tried 
this year to make that criticism both constructive and instructive. 

On the 16th day of April, by your orders, following passage by 
the Legislature of a new law, The Adjutant General became the 
chairman of the Military Training Commission, and certain 
modifications in the Military Training Commission Law were 
put into effect. During the past year about 40,000 youths from 
sixteen to nineteen years have received military training imder 
the operation of this law. If we add that number to the total of 
21,000 men in the New York Guard, and the 10,000 in the Home 
Defense Reserve, scattered throughout the upper part of the State, 
there has been reached a total of 71,000 men, to whom, since 
September 1st last, this State has given military training. Plans 
are under way at least to double that number during the coming 
year. This total greatly exceeds that reached in any other State, 
in some of which no military training has been given. 

Respectfully submitted, 

CHARLES H. SHERRILL. 

The Adjutant General. 



